Macroeconomic data, trends, and policy developments.
Coverage of key economic indicators, central bank policy decisions, inflation trends, labor data, and growth signals. This category focuses on the macroeconomic forces that shape markets, interest rates, and long-term capital allocation.
2,640 total articles
S&P Global Ratings has reaffirmed its A+/A-1 sovereign rating on Japan while warning that a deeper depreciation of the yen and persistently weaker economic growth relative to other high-income economies could lead to a downgrade. The firm also flagged the possibility of a wider fiscal deficit over the next two years because of increased spending on…
Brent crude jumped above $115 a barrel, putting the benchmark on track for an unprecedented monthly gain and fueling broad equity weakness in Asia. Renewed attacks in the Gulf region, widening to southern routes, and a significant U.S. troop presence have elevated the risk of prolonged disruptions to oil flows. Markets are pricing sustained high pr…
The conflict in Iran has triggered a surge in market volatility that has strained liquidity across the globe's largest markets. Traders and investors report slower executions, wider bid-ask spreads and a preference to reduce position sizes as market makers become wary of being left with large, risky holdings. European futures and government bond ma…
On March 30, New Zealand's finance minister said Treasury modelling indicates inflation may climb 'much higher' this year and remain outside the Reserve Bank's 1% to 3% target band if the conflict in the Middle East continues and further disrupts supply chains. Fourth-quarter inflation was 3.1%, already above the target range, and rising energy cos…
Negotiations at a World Trade Organization ministerial in Yaounde concluded without agreement after Brazil objected to proposals to prolong a moratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions. The WTO Director-General said the moratorium had expired and that negotiators would continue discussions in Geneva, but delegates and business leader…
Japanese authorities intensified warnings of yen-buying intervention and indicated that further currency depreciation could warrant a near-term increase in interest rates. Senior officials cited speculative moves in currency and crude markets and rising oil costs from the Middle East conflict as drivers of inflationary pressure that may prompt the …
The U.S. dollar remained broadly firm, set for its largest monthly advance since July, as markets price the economic and market consequences of a potentially prolonged Middle East war. Disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz and escalating regional hostilities have driven investors toward safe-haven assets, pressuring the yen past the key 160 per dolla…
President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that direct and indirect negotiations with Iran are taking place and that a deal "could be soon." He repeated claims that recent U.S. strikes had degraded Iran’s military capabilities and said Tehran had allowed about 20 oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has largely denied d…
Minutes from the Bank of Japan's March policy meeting show that officials discussed whether further interest-rate increases were needed as a surge in oil prices linked to the Middle East conflict heightened inflationary risks. At the meeting the central bank left policy rates unchanged but signalled a bias toward tightening, and at least one policy…
U.S. officials say President Trump is considering a military operation to extract roughly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran but has not decided, citing concerns over risk to American personnel. The proposal is part of broader U.S. and Israeli efforts to prevent Tehran from advancing a weapons program amid escalating regional conflict.
The Senate Banking Committee is preparing to schedule a confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh’s nomination to chair the Federal Reserve as early as the week of April 13, according to Punchbowl News citing two sources. The nomination has been slowed by political resistance, leaving Jerome Powell in place while President Donald Trump seeks a successor…
European Central Bank officials are weighing how to respond to sharply higher energy prices caused by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, but the bank is not yet ready to set dates for interest rate increases. Francois Villeroy de Galhau said the ECB is prepared to act if needed to prevent energy-driven price shocks from becoming broad-based inflation, w…
Goldman Sachs has cut its stance on Indian equities to marketweight, pointing to stretched valuations, slowing earnings upgrades and ongoing selling by foreign institutional investors. While the firm continues to regard India as an attractive long-term opportunity, it sees limited near-term upside for the Nifty amid elevated multiples and mounting …
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the Affordable Care Act should be dismantled and replaced by a system that directs payments straight to individuals so they can buy their own coverage instead of routing funds through insurance companies. He described the current law as unsustainable and restated his support for a consumer-driven a…
Next week’s U.S. employment report will be the focal point for investors navigating a market already unsettled by a war involving Iran that has removed substantial oil supplies from global markets. With U.S. crude prices up sharply year-to-date and gasoline costs elevated, concerns about inflation, corporate profits and higher Treasury yields are r…
Analysts say the recent conflict in the Middle East has started to reverberate through the world helium market after strikes forced a shutdown at Qatar's Ras Laffan complex. While immediate shortages have been avoided thanks to pre-conflict oversupply and shipments already in transit, continued disruption could tighten inventories in coming weeks a…
UBS warns that oil-supply shocks tied to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could produce outcomes ranging from a brief price spike to sustained inflationary pressure and even technical recessions in advanced economies. Europe is expected to suffer disproportionately because of its greater dependence on imported energy, while credit markets - part…
Swiss President Guy Parmelin said negotiations with the United States will continue into the second quarter after an end-of-month deadline to finalize a tariff reduction was effectively abandoned. The delay keeps uncertainty over duties that peaked at 39% and were provisionally cut to 15%, while a later U.S. Supreme Court decision and subsequent ac…
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on President Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents without permanent legal status. The case tests a narrowing interpretation of the 14th Amendment and comes after multiple lower-court rulings finding the policy unconstitutional, while rai…
Hesai Group ADR (NASDAQ:HSAI) reported robust 2025 results with revenue up 46% year-over-year and a 14% net margin, and signalled a strategic shift into the 'Physical AI' market. Management guided to 2026 LiDAR shipments of 3.0-3.5 million units, roughly double 2025 deliveries of 1.6 million units, and announced plans to introduce two new products …
Swiss President Guy Parmelin said negotiations with the United States over tariffs will continue beyond March after an initial agreement last year to reduce U.S. duties on Swiss imports. The talks, aimed at formalising a cut from 39% to 15%, face new uncertainty following legal and policy shifts in Washington and recent U.S. investigations into tra…
China's Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Consul General Julie Eadeh to protest a security advisory issued by the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong about new rules that permit authorities to demand passwords and decrypt electronic devices in national security cases. Beijing accused Washington of interference, while Hong Kong officials sought to clarify lega…
Pakistan has moved from a peripheral role to a central diplomatic position in U.S.-Iran relations, offering to host peace talks brokered under coordinated civilian and military leadership. Strengthened ties with the U.S., including economic agreements and security cooperation, have positioned Islamabad to deliver Washington's 15-point plan to Tehra…
A Bernstein research note indicates the war in Iran is beginning to exert measurable pressure on both demand and supply for major fast-food chains. While direct U.S. supply-chain disruptions are limited so far, rising energy and commodity prices are compressing franchisee profitability, high-frequency March data points to softer consumer spending, …
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Corey Lewandowski, a high-profile advisor and former 2016 Trump campaign manager, has left his unpaid advisory role. The move comes amid a broader leadership overhaul that saw Kristi Noem replaced by former Senator Markwayne Mullin as DHS secretary and Noem reassigned as special envoy for the …
